


Beautiful Twilight

by Nazrath



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Betrayal, Drama, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Tragedy, Yullen, architect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 14:04:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6910291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nazrath/pseuds/Nazrath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Due to Kanda's "mistake", Allen "died" in their final year of high school. But seven years later, a new online sensation named "Black Order" is taking the world by storm. A chance encounter across the Atlantic reignites old wounds. Can Lenalee forgive Kanda? Can Kanda move forward? And who exactly is Black Order? Something sinister is lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect time to pounce. And this time, the casualty count might be off the charts. Yullen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Why Did He Do This?

_Love…is an amazing feeling. A torture so beautiful, it leaves one gasping for more in its wake. It is pain, it is pleasure...and a lot of things which perhaps no word can describe. Lucky are those who get to experience this love, and stay sane to tell the tale._

*/*/

Allen Walker stared up at the cracked ceiling, his silvery-grey eyes strangely unfocused. He did not care that he was lying on the cold stone floor of the school gym's shower room, nor did he bother to lift his arm and turn the faucet close. The bucket near his head had been overflowing for perhaps the last twenty minutes—maybe an hour—but the usually environment-conscious eighteen-year-old did not bother. The water seeped into his hair, darkening the stark white into multiple shades of grey. It soaked his uniform thoroughly, and the cold was eating away his body heat.

But he did not care.

Salty tears mixed with the water that was flooding his cubicle, tears that streamed from his eyes with reckless abandon. He was not hiccoughing or crying like the over-dramatic scenes one saw in the movies. It seemed as if his heart had enough and the emotions were overflowing.

School was over a long time back, the room now slowly darkening as the sunset gave way to twilight. He should go home.

Home? A harsh laugh escaped his lips, the only sound since the afternoon. It was just a shoebox with a tiny window—a place to crash for the night. Home is the place where one belonged. And Allen Walker knew now that he did not belong anywhere.

He sat up slowly, his wet hair sticking to his scalp and neck. He fingered a strand, a sad smile on his lips. He was a freak of nature, of course he did not belong. He was naïve and stupid enough to believe that someone liked him, _loved_ him.

When his own birth parents kicked him out of the house, who on _earth_ would _love him_?

He stood up shakily, holding on to the rickety door for balance. He turned the faucet close and opened the door. Only to see himself reflected in the mirror on the opposite wall.

A lanky high-schooler clad in a white shirt, black pants and a black vest. With a shock of white hair, pale silvery-grey eyes, alabaster complexion. With the exception of his left hand, which was heavily scarred courtesy of being the lone survivor of the fire that engulfed his orphanage seven years ago. A thin scar ran down the left side of his face, from his forehead to his chin. A remnant of a street-fight that went ugly.

He should be a circus exhibit, not a student in a school for normal people.

The owner of the orphanage, a man named Tiedoll, was the one who enrolled him in to the Nietzsche Academy. Allen had always been an exceptional student, and the genial man did not want his talents to go waste. The principal of Nietzsche, a Chinese man named Komui Lee, welcomed Allen with open arms and agreed to give him the Merit Scholarship if he maintained his grades all through high school.

Allen remembered the happiness he felt that day—it was as if he was offered a path to heaven. The first year in middle school had been okay—Komui Lee's sister Lenalee Lee was his classmate and she soon became his friend. Well, his only friend since the others refused to be associated with "a lower-class orphan freak". But Tiedoll was a renowned man, a famous painter whose paintings were legendary. And so, being Tiedoll's ward gave him some sort of protection.

During his final year in middle school, all hell broke loose.

Tiedoll had been battling cancer for years, but he then finally succumbed to the disease. And if that was not enough a shock, Komui Lee was thrown off the position of principal by Nietzsche's governing board as the former had made some strict arrangements which weren't liked by the parents of the "high-and-mighty" kids. It was painful to say goodbye to Lenalee, who had become the closest confidante he ever had. The Lees had become more like a family he never had, and suddenly they were snatched away from him.

The new principal, needless to say, was a puppet of the governing council. He rolled back all the rules Komui had set, making the school a playground of the rich and famous. Allen's scholarship got more clauses added to it—now he had to stay within the top three positions in every subject in order for the scholarship to continue.

Allen gritted his teeth at the announcement but he knew he was powerless. He could not do anything; except studying.

High school became hell for him—those students who refrained from picking on him due to Tiedoll and Komui now made Allen their punching bag. The worst of them were Tyki Mikk and Road Kamelot—they left no stone unturned to make his life a living nightmare.

From sabotaging his locker to tearing his assignments to ambushing him on his way home, Allen had to endure all sorts of bullying. Tiedoll's inheritance too was snatched away from him by his business associates on the grounds that Allen Walker had not been adopted by the man and hence had no legal entitlement to his property.

Then one day, the impossible happened. Road Kamelot had ambushed Allen in the school backyard and was about to use him as a punching bag when she was stopped by someone.

Allen had never seen anyone so beautiful as the person who stood before him.

He was taller than him by at least a head, pale skin, cobalt eyes on a delicately angular face, long black hair tied in a ponytail.

"Yuu Kanda, do you realise what you are doing?" Road simpered dangerously, her violet eyes flashing.

"Road Kamelot, do _you_ realise what _you_ are doing?" Yuu Kanda said, gripping her hand more tightly. Road snatched her arm back, giving him another glare before bouncing away.

The ones holding Allen dropped him on the ground as they followed her.

Allen looked up at him. He had never seen him before.

Yuu Kanda offered him a hand and helped him stand up.

"Kanda. Transfer student." He said in a manner of introduction.

"Allen Walker," he replied.

Since that day, Kanda never left his side. The taller boy was always with him and slowly, Allen realised that he felt something more than friendship for Kanda.

Three months after that fateful meeting when the duo were walking down the footpath after school, Allen kissed him on his lips. His conscience tried to berate him for his actions but his body for once betrayed him. Kanda had been shocked for a couple of moments, but he kissed back. Since that day, Allen felt his old skip return in his step. Sure, he got the stares and murmurs but he did not care.

He had Kanda.

*/*/

The two years passed in bliss. Allen looked forward to school now, he had Kanda to meet with. Those secret kisses in the locker room, sudden brushes of hand, lingering touches…Allen committed them all to memory. Tyki and Road had stopped bothering him, and this relaxed mood made him excel in his classes. Already he had received acknowledgement of admission from the best universities in the country, and Komui was glad.

Allen kept in touch with the Lees through email, and he was glad to realise that Lenalee wanted to opt for the same university as him. Kanda too had applied for the same and he would be receiving confirmation any minute now.

Lenalee was dying to meet the man who stole her "little brother's" heart away. And Allen knew she would like him.

Four months till graduation. Allen thought he could not have been any happier than this.

But Gods, he was so wrong

*/*/

Allen was walking towards the gym to retrieve his bag when he heard voices. He frowned, school was closed so what were people doing here? He was allowed because he was the gym monitor for the week.

He decided to peek in—newspapers had been rife with reports about school break-ins. If it was someone suspicious, he would go and call the police.

He opened the door a slight crack.

And what he saw made him freeze with disbelief.

He saw Kanda. And Tyki Mikk, Road, and the twins Jasdero and Devitto. And they were all laughing together.

"You got him hook, line and sinker, bud," Tyki chortled, clapping Kanda on the back. "I mean, if I'd not known before, I'd have sworn that you'd fallen for that freak."

Kanda snorted. "As if…as if his hair wasn't enough, his arm's so creepy. Just looking at it gives me the creeps."

Road guffawed at the statement. "So when's the big announcement? Make it soon, I can't wait anymore!"

Tyki patted Road's head. "All in time, cousin mine."

"I've asked that freak out to the school festival. The bigger the crowd, the better it would be. After all, I've spent two years getting the show ready," Kanda said, that softness which Allen had grown to associate with him missing.

Allen felt his knees give way as he flopped to the floor.

_No…this cannot be happening…it's all a bad dream…_

The door was yanked open by Kanda. Allen thought he saw shock in those cobalt orbs but as he blinked, a wicked smirk graced his face.

"Aww damn, there goes my plan," he smirked mirthlessly. He dragged up Allen's collar to make him stand.

Road clapped with delight, the twins following suit.

"This is the best expression ever!" she squealed.

"Seriously, freak…you didn't think he _loved_ you now, did you?" Tyki laughed, his amber eyes gleaming.

Allen heard them speak, but he had eyes only for the man who held his collar. He searched those cobalt orbs for some hint, some piece of solace but all he found was the look that was mirrored in Tyki and Road's faces.

Contempt. Scorn. Hatred.

_Why…Kanda…_

Kanda dropped him, said something to the others and walked out of the room, leaving Allen alone.

*/*/

Allen rubbed his hand over the scar on his face.

Tyki was right; he should have known.

Allen walked out of the shower room, leaving a small river in his wake. He was about to step out into the corridor when he heard gunshots.

_What the…_

Allen rubbed his face clean of the salty streaks, slapping himself to get the world into focus. He could wallow in self-grief later, but now someone was in danger.

He ran towards the sound, his fingers dialing the emergency number on his cellphone.

" _Police Department."_

"Shooting in Nietzsche Academy. Please help!"

" _Please stay in a secured location. Help is on your way."_

Allen stuffed the phone into his pocket as he climbed down the steps. He heard the gunshots again—they seemed to come from the football field.

Night had already fallen, leaving the only source of light to be the street lamps and the path guiding lights of the school. Allen could make out a couple of figures in the field, a group huddled together while a lone figure stood, most probably facing them. Probably the man with the gun.

Another gun shot and an unearthly scream filled the air.

 _Seemed like a girl_.

Allen rushed forward and using the element of surprise crashed into the gunman, making his shot go wide. A resonating _clang_ informed him that the bullet hit the metal goalpost.

"Stop!" Allen huffed, shivering in the cold night air.

"Hey you little…" the gunman cursed, trying to shake him off.

"RUN!" Allen yelled.

Suddenly, the entire football field was bathed in light; someone must have switched on the floodlights.

Allen thought he saw a security personnel rush back into the cabin.

_Stupid fool, where does he think he's going?_

"Allen?"

Allen could recognize that voice anywhere, anytime.

He looked at the ones who standing opposite him.

It was Kanda. Along with Tyki and Road. And it seemed it was Road who had been in her leg.

"I've called for the police," Allen grunted, maintaining his grip around the gunman's midsection. "Take her and run!"

Kanda looked flabbergasted.

"I…"

"RUN!" Allen yelled again.

Tyki looked in bewilderment at the white-haired boy, unable to comprehend the current situation.

The gunman wrenched Allen off his body and threw him away. He then pointed the gun at Kanda.

"You! You filthy pieces of shit! Because of you, I'd to sell my house! My family is on the streets, my daughter sleeps hungry…you'll DIE. TODAY!"

Allen saw him pull the trigger. And again, his body bypassed the commands of his brain.

*/*/

Yuu Kanda was one of the members of the so-called aristocratic privileged class. His father was the owner of the famous Flazenmich line of cutlery while his mother was a renowned fashion designer. He had lived in Japan all his life before his father decided to let him transfer to London and finish his high-school. Tyki Mikk was his childhood friend and Kanda was in a way glad to meet him again.

And when Tyki told him about the Allen plan, he was more than eager to participate. Staying under his parents watchful eye meant he had to always toe the line but now, he could have a bit of fun, right?

The boy was stupid, and naïve to boot. He couldn't believe how easily Allen believed his honeyed words—that adoration that shone in his silver eyes never failed to amuse him. He waited for the right opportunity to break this illusion—it's been ages since he last bullied someone.

But that day when the boy kissed him, Kanda felt something awaken in him.

He never knew why he kissed back—he wasn't _falling_ for that midget, right?

Now his heart started warring with his brain, his conscience battled against common sense. What was happening to him?

He decided to end the game; the fun had suddenly disappeared. He wondered whether he had gone too far this time.

But when he saw Allen outside the gym door, he realized that the limit was now a faint line on the horizon. The boy who was standing before him was a broken shell. And Kanda did not need a genius to tell him who made Allen this way.

He had to get out of that room…he couldn't face Allen. He could not look into those haunting silvery-grey eyes.

No, he had to get away.

The others followed him, Tyki and Road still chortling.

And that's when they encountered the gunman.

He winced as one of the shots hit Road in the leg. He had to do something…anything.

That's when he saw someone push the perpetrator off balance.

When the floodlights came alive, he realized it was Allen. He faintly recognized the perpetrator as the man who was personally kicked out by his father a couple of weeks ago. The man was caught selling the latest designs to a rival company.

Allen was yelling something but Kanda failed to register it. All he could see was that Allen was sopping wet and his eyes were bloodshot.

He had been crying.

The faint tell-tale blush on his cheeks indicated that he was slightly feverish as well.

_And it's my fault…_

"RUN!" Allen yelled.

_And leave you alone…_

The man threw Allen on to the ground and trained the gun on him.

"DIE! TODAY!"

Kanda knew that this time, he wouldn't be able to run. He saw Allen look at him, and then at the gunman. And something indescribable came in his face.

Kanda had a sudden sense of foreboding.

_No…don't…_

The gunshot seemed more thundering than the rest.

Kanda waited for it, but the pain did not come. Only he felt something warm splash on his face. He opened the eyes he hadn't realized he had closed.

Allen stood in front of him, his arms stretched wide. He turned to face him and before he could say anything, he dropped backwards. Kanda hurried forward, breaking his fall with his arms.

"Allen… _why?_ "

"I loved the Kanda who protected me for the last two years. It was crazy but there's always some madness in love," Allen coughed, spitting blood. "Though there's also always some reason in madness."

"Please…don't talk…" Kanda said, panic setting in. _Allen cannot die…Allen cannot die!_

"I don't why you did what you did, Kanda," Allen coughed again. The bullet wound on his left side looked nasty, bathing both of them with an eerie red. "I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you."

"I'm so sorry…" Kanda whispered. Faint sirens could be heard now. He heard some scuffles and shouts—the gunman must have been caught. But he did not care. All he wanted was to see the boy in his arms walk again.

"I didn't mean this to happen…it was a joke at first…but I don't know how…I fell in love with you, Allen Walker…"

Allen smiled tiredly, but Kanda knew the boy didn't believe him. He hugged him, cradling his head gently. He kissed his lips, trying not think how cold they were.

"Kanda…I…I…loved you…."

Those silvery-grey eyes closed, and Kanda knew he wouldn't be seeing them again.


	2. Black Order

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am making no promises about the update schedule as my life is scary busy these days. But since I had the foresight of planning out the future chapters this time, I don't think I'll be leaving this midway.
> 
> Kanda's slightly OOC but will get better as we progress.
> 
> Reviews are loved!

Yuu Kanda stood inside the lobby of the Crown Corporation, feeling slightly nervous. After all, it _was_ his first job interview.

He looked around, trying to contain his awe at the sheer grandeur of the place. The lobby was at least four stories high, and could easily contain the entire dorm building of his college.

"Can I help you?"

Kanda jumped slightly at the voice, which seemed to come from around his chest. He looked down to find a woman peer curiously at him. She had thick, long black hair tied into a messy plait down her back, dark green eyes and full crimson lips. Her complexion was healthily tanned and her physique looked athletic. Her entire personality gave off an aura of someone who loved being outdoors. She was clad in a simple black blouse and skirt and her name tag informed Kanda that she was Arise Kanzaki, Secretary.

"You look new…you for the interview?" Arise Kanzaki asked.

Kanda nodded.

She offered her hand. "I am Arise Kanzaki, as you can read from my name tag and it's not _arise_ , it's A-reese. And you are?"

"Yuu Kanda," Kanda answered, shaking her hand.

"The director will prefer to interview each candidate personally. You are supposed to go to the eighteenth floor for your document verification and then proceed to the twenty-third floor for the interview. Good luck!" And with that, Arise Kanzaki skipped away, leaving behind a bemused Kanda.

_Eighteenth floor...okay. Let's get this show on the road._

Clad in a dark blue business suit with his long hair tied in his usual style, he cut a striking figure in the vicinity. He knew girls were giving him the googly eyes but since that fateful day, he had stopped caring.

Seven years had passed since Allen died in his arms. The last time he saw him was when the paramedics loaded him in the ambulance. Two hours later, he received a call from the hospital informing him of Allen's death.

He never forgave himself for that night. Lenalee Lee, the girl about whom Allen kept talking about, slapped him hard across his face when she rushed back to London a day later. He said nothing.

In fact, he believed he was let off lightly.

None of his classmates grieved over Allen's passing. Some even formed conspiracy theories about how Allen had been a demon and so had been exorcised. Rumours ranged from the possible to the utmost fantasy but Kanda did nothing to correct them.

It did not matter.

Allen was gone.

Tyki and Road tried to comfort him but their words were hollow. It seemed they finally realised how dangerous their stunts were.

Kanda tried to cry, tried to scream, but that dead weight in his chest would not lighten up. It felt as if he was breathing through a pillow. The world had lost its colour, and wherever his eyes went, they searched for that mop of white hair and those kind silvery-grey eyes.

_How could he have been so horrible?_

Kanda shook his head, trying to regain his focus. Allen's passing changed him. Kanda was no longer the spoilt rich kid—he had decided to forego his ascension into the family business in favour of doing something on his own. Alma, his brother, had pleaded him to reconsider but Kanda was firm.

Perhaps in some long, twisted way, this was the closest he could get to Allen.

*/*/

Lenalee Lee rummaged about in her office, searching for something.

"What'cha searching for, Lady Lee?" came an eternally cheerful voice from the door.

"Not now, Lavi…I'm searching for something important. Go, bug Arise for a change," she said from under the table.

"It wouldn't be _this_ , would it?" Lavi said.

Lenalee peeked above the table and gave a squeal. In Lavi's hand was the black binder she had been searching for the entire morning.

"Reever gave it to me…you gave it to him yesterday for some correction?" he added, walking into the office and placing the binder on the table. Lenalee crawled out from under and sat down on the chair, looking relieved.

"I must have forgotten," she said sheepishly.

Lavi patted the woman lightly on the shoulder before flopping down on the settee.

"Old man Neah's taking the interviews today?" he asked, twirling his key ring around his index finger.

"Yeah…for the position in the Design Department. Quite a lot of applications have been handed in this year."

The past seven years have been good on Lenalee. From the awkward teenager, she had blossomed into a beautiful woman. But those hazel eyes held a sadness that only a well-trained eye could see. Like how Lavi could.

Lavi was a year older than her, though his maturity levels were comparable to that of a toddler. He headed the Design Department, and though he was crazy and eccentric to boot, he was a natural in designing buildings. And Crown's recent success in the architecture field was credited mostly to him. Unlike others who maintained the decorum of the office, Lavi went in and out as he pleased. His bright, unkempt reddish-orange hair was like a beacon in the otherwise monochrome office, and his pirate-style eye-patch, gold hoop earrings, green t-shirt and brown cargoes only added to his wild personality.

Lavi lost his parents when he was four years old. It was a car accident, and he also lost his right eye in that same accident. His grandfather, a librarian, brought him up. Spending his childhood in the huge library coupled with a hunger for learning and an enviable photographic memory made him excel in school. Soon, his remarkable analytical ability earned him a place in a special fast-track school, enabling him to graduate high-school at thirteen and complete his doctorate on building design by twenty-one.

Neah Walker, the multi-billionaire owner of Crown Corp. soon signed him into his design team. Two years after he joined, he was promoted to be the head of the department. Even though he was the youngest employee in the department, people always listened to him. Lavi had that right mix of fun and seriousness in his attitude that made people want to follow him.

When Lenalee joined as the secretary to Human Resource Department Head six months back, he noticed the quiet sadness in her eyes. At first, he thought it was homesickness—after all, London was far away from China. But later when he talked with her, he realised it was something deep.

That was when she told him the story of Allen.

"Walker, huh? Certainly not Old Man Neah's son, eh?" he had joked. Lenalee shook her head. Allen had been an orphan…and besides, Walker was a common name.

Lenalee was a hard worker, and she always pushed herself to perform the best. But whatever that Allen guy was to her, his sudden passing had left a huge hole in her heart. And Lavi wanted to fill it.

There was something about her that made him want to protect her—she was like the tough version of fragile. He could see now why her brother was so overprotective.

"Coffee date today, Lena-lady?" he grinned the roguish way only he could pull off. Lenalee smiled at the redhead, though there was a constriction in it. It felt _wrong_ somehow…she was here, enjoying life while _he_ was dead.

Lavi patted her shoulder.

"If this Allen guy's as nice as you say, I don't think he'll go crazy if you go on a date…I bet he wants you to be happy!"

Lenalee nodded, staring at her shoes. She couldn't lift her head and face that green eye, the eye rumoured to see past people's defences and peer into the soul.

"Okay, Lavi," she sighed. "But for now, I've work!"

"Alright-o, Madam Secretary! Off you go!" Lavi's grin widened as he chugged behind Lenalee like a train, making the woman finally laugh.

*/*/

Kanda sat at the waiting lounge on the twenty-third floor, finally done with the formalities. He was impressed by the quiet efficiency with which the entire process was carried out. There were close to two hundred candidates fighting for three positions in the Design Department, but the document verification was carried out so smoothly that in no time, he found himself riding an elevator to the interview floor.

Now that he looked around in the lounge, he realised that he was perhaps the youngest among the candidates.

Well, he just cleared graduate school while the others seemed to have at least five years of experience under their belts. He looked through his CV again in an attempt to calm himself down.

He had retained the top position in the class all through his majors to masters, apart from winning major design competitions and paper presentations. In fact, his binder was quite thick and could rival the more experienced candidates around.

And besides, the director was known to prefer young blood with an eccentric bent of mind, someone who could work with the legendary Lavi Buchmann, the most sought after architect in the world.

Kanda clenched his fingers into fists—no, he couldn't afford to get jittery now. It was perhaps the biggest opportunity he would ever get.

First interview or not, he _had_ to give his best shot.

"Mr. Kanda!"

Kanda stopped his internal monologue as he focused on the one who called his name…and she was standing right in front of him.

"Ms Kanzaki," he said, not knowing what else to say.

"Kanzaki's fine," she said quickly, thrusting a pink token in his hands. It had the number "14" written boldly with a black marker pen.

"The interview begins in ten…and you're the fourteenth guy. And keep the token…no token, no interview. Got that, kiddo?"

Kanda knew she wasn't _that_ older than him to call him a "kiddo" but he let it slide at the moment. He had more important things to think about.

He nodded affirmatively as she skipped off again, distributing the tokens to the other candidates. He looked at his left wrist. A simple silver chain bracelet adorned it, the only anomaly being the fact that its latch was welded close. He could not open it—the only was being that he would have to pry it open using a pliers or something similar.

 _I am so weak, I need a reminder of my mistake_ , he thought ruefully, fingering the links. When Allen was lifted from his arms all those years ago by the paramedics, the bracelet had fallen on to his lap. A tiny "AW" was engraved on the inside, a surprisingly extravagant trinket for someone so close to being impoverished.

 _Maybe it was a gift_.

Whatever it might have been, to Kanda it served as a reminder as to what sort of consequences thoughtless actions might have. And also, it reminded him of the fact that once upon a time, there lived a beautiful silver-eyed, white-haired boy named Allen Walker.

*/*/

Lenalee smoothened down her skirt, fixed the minor ruffles of her shirt and checked her hair in the mirror before finally stepping out of her office. She felt slightly nervous but tried to clamp down on that feeling—according to the memo the peon delivered a couple of minutes ago, she was required to assist Mana Walker, the director's brother and the head of the Creative Marketing department, in the board meeting which would begin in two minutes.

Trust Neah Walker to hand out heart-attacks on silver plates. But on retrospect, it seemed a golden opportunity to prove herself. And Mana Walker was legendary—everyone knew that he was the God of marketing.

 _The Crown Corp is filled with geniuses_ , she sighed to herself as she stepped out onto the corridor. As usual, the twenty-seventh floor was a busy world. All the offices which were required to maintain Crown Corp's efficiency were located on this floor; the financial archives, the secretarial offices, the scheduling division etc. This floor could be accessed only by a special keycard—the elevators did not otherwise stop on this floor.

Lenalee sighed as she began her now-used-to dance of hurrying through the corridors without bumping into anyone. She remembered her first day, and how she had been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people that seemed to rush through. Thankfully Lavi, who had been passing by that time in search of a coffee vending machine, had taken pity on her and shown her how to navigate amidst the maddening crowd.

The conference room was on the opposite side to the location of her office and soon, she reached her destination. Some of the seats were already filled, their occupants reading through the notes that comprised the meeting agenda. Mana Walker was seated at the head of the table, doodling on his notepad. A bored expression was quite evident on his face.

Lenalee giggled before smothering herself into silence.

Mana looked up at the sound, and smiled as his gaze settled on Lenalee.

"Good morning Miss Lee, how are you today?" he asked in his genial voice, standing up and offering Lenalee a seat onto his right. Lenalee looked slightly surprised—she was supposed to stay in the background and take notes, right?

"Don't worry, it's an informal meeting…more like having breakfast with the family. I hope you haven't had breakfast yet?" he asked, sitting once Lenalee assumed her seat.

"Just a bagel and coffee," Lenalee answered, slightly nervous.

Mana Walker was just a few years older than Neah, but their resemblance was so uncanny, they could pass for twins. Both of them had slightly curly ebony hair, though Neah wore it longer while Mana preferred a shorter crop. They had those intelligent, yet kind chocolate brown eyes that could make anyone comfortable in their vicinity. The slight tan, easy smiles and genial body language made them good people to work for. In fact, it was rare for people to hand in their resignation at Crown Corp—people liked working here.

Ten minutes later, all the chairs were occupied. Lavi was slightly surprised to see her seated next to Mana, but he then grinned widely before making a beeline for the seat next to her. Opposite her and on Mana's left was Miranda Lotto, the Foreign Affairs Head who was mostly a bundle of nerves. But Lenalee knew that when push comes to shove, one could trust Miranda to bail one out. Next to her was Cross Marian, the (in)famous womanizer-cum-Head of Interior Design Department. His long, messy scarlet hair could _not_ be natural, right? Rumours had it that Cross would hit on anyone that moved, though Lenalee was surprisingly the sole exception. Perhaps it helped that her brother knew Cross since college and the scarlet-haired man _knew_ Komui's…well, _obsession_ with his sister.

Next to him was a stern-looking man with a moustache that could rival Adolf Hitler—Malcolm Revelier, the man who headed the Finance Department. Lenalee could not figure out why, but she hated that man's guts. When she confessed the same to Lavi one day two months ago, she was surprised to find him echo her emotions.

"That guy doesn't _fit_ in, ya know," Lavi had shrugged.

She could not have explained him better. Amidst all the cheery (not completely _cheery_ in case of Miranda but then again, she never smiled worry-free) faces, his frown coupled with a… _condescending_ look made him look like an extra-stern bank manager in a candy store. Lenalee shrugged lightly, weening her thoughts away from him. Next to him was the one she tried to avoid at all costs as he reminded her a lot of Allen.

Lookwise, at least.

Winston Campbell, or Wisely as he was more popularly known amongst the Crown Corp employees, was the secretary to Neah Walker. His hair was white too, and unruly like Lavi's but was somewhat tamed by a black scarf around his forehead. Unlike the other members of the meeting who were clad in formal business attire (except Lavi), he was clad in a loose blue Indian-style _kurta_ paired with snug white leggings and bamboo slippers. Unlike Allen though, his complexion was dark which made his hair stand out more. But like Allen, his built was slight and even though he was older than Lavi by at least three years, he looked as young as a teenager.

Wisely headed the Fashion Designing Department of Crown Corp, the newest venture of the company which Neah launched a year back. Wisely worked on his own before, and was one of the successful fashion designers in the circuit. She had no idea how on earth he agreed to work for Crown Corp—but according to Lavi, Neah himself had gone to recruit him. And Neah never played a losing game.

Sitting between Lavi and Wisely was Reever Wendham, the employee who had served Crown Corp. since its inception. Reever headed the Chemical Testing division, the toughest of all since it was the division most likely to attract legal and illegal trouble. Reever might be a scientist, but that did not mean he wasn't street-smart. His ability to check and block possible loopholes was the reason Mana had initially hired him. And that was still the reason Mana respected him today.

"Good morning everyone! It's been a long time since we have sat on the same table. Though my brother is still missing at the moment," Mana began, his eyes twinkling.

"The Design Department recruitment is underway, I suppose?" Wisely asked, yawning. His complexion hid it but now that Lenalee looked at him carefully, she could see the dark circles under his eyes.

"Stayed up all night again, I see?" Mana said.

"The Summer Line is due next week…can't let a newbie show me up," he yawned again, flopping over the table.

"I have full faith in you, Wisely. But don't land up in the hospital for overwork. As for your question, yes. Neah insists on interviewing the candidates himself and I must say, there is a good turnout this year," Mana said, smiling slightly at Wisely's prone figure.

"Is that so?" Lavi piped up. "Then I'd be looking forward to some good newbies this year!"

Mana nodded.

"But that is not the reason I gathered you here today."

Mana stopped talking as the door of the room opened. A maid carried in a food-trolley and the resulting aroma made Lenalee's mouth water with anticipation. Chicken and cheese sandwiches, bacon crisps, fruit bowl, scrambled eggs with buttered croissants washed down orange juice.

The biggest redeeming quality of Crown Corp. was its chef. Jasdeep Singh, nicknamed Jerry, was an Indian _khansama_ and had been formerly affiliated with a royal family from Rajasthan. Once when Neah had gone for a meeting in India, he had visited the head of the royal family for dinner. Neah had sworn that the chicken dish was best he had ever tasted and almost _begged_ the man to let Jasdeep Singh come with him.

Crown Corp's cafeteria now sported dishes that could put even Michelin-starred restaurants to shame. The Walker siblings meant it seriously when they said that Crown Corp was more like a family to them.

After the maid left, Mana cleared his throat slightly to regain their attention.

"Lenalee…could you switch on the projector please?" he said.

Lenalee swiftly walked to the back of the room where the switchboard was placed. She switched it on, and then dimmed the room lights. Mana smiled at her when she did that before beckoning her back to her seat. He then attached the HDMI cable to his smartphone and indicated everyone to look at the screen behind him.

"This video was uploaded last night on YouTube," he said.

Lenalee looked at the view counter below the video and gasped.

" _Twenty million hits!"_ she squealed before she could control herself. Even Lavi was astounded by it, his lone green eye huge and round with surprise.

The uploader was someone named Black Order. Lenalee racked her brains…she was an avid YouTube user herself but she had never heard of anyone with that name.

"What is the video about, Mana?" Reever asked, trying to gain information out of the screen they could see on the projection.

"I want you to just watch the video very carefully. After that, I would begin today's discussion," said Mana as he clicked the "Play" button.

The words "BLACK ORDER" came up huge in grey Algerian font in a black background before fading away.

Electronic beats opened the music, making Lenalee's eyes widen yet again.

"I know that song," she whispered softly. It was one of her favourites; "Illuminated" by "The Hurts". She loved both the original and the Nightcore version, though the latter was a bit closer to her heart. But the version she was currently listening made her mind go numb.

It was freaking _brilliant_.

But that was not all—as the electronic beats gave way to the opening lyrics, a boy came into focus. His eyes were covered by one of those ballroom masks. He had jet-black hair and was clad in a white loose shirt and black pants and was barefoot. And with a black background, the entire video was in monochrome.

And then the boy began dancing.

Lavi gave a low whistle at the insane jumps and twists the boy did, keeping up with the song's crazy tempo.

"What is he made of…rubber?" Lavi said slowly, awe apparent in his voice. Lenalee was frozen still, as if captivated by the boy in the video.

And when the video ended and Wisely got the lights back up, she was still entranced by him.

Who was he?

A silence enveloped the room. It seemed as if all of them, even Rouvelier, was not unscathed.

"Both the music _and_ the choreography was done by him," Mana said, breaking the silence.

"Well…er…" Cross began but it was clear that the usually vocally eloquent man was lacking words at the moment.

"I have been wanting to revive Crown Records for many years now," Mana said softly, looking around the faces at the table. Lenalee felt a small smile tug her lips. Lavi had told her that the Crown Corp initially began as Crown Records but it flopped big time since the band who featured it suddenly disbanded, leaving them in the dust. Even though the company expanded into diverse fields and succeeded, music was something closest to Mana's heart. He often gave out tickets to classical piano concerts, and though most refrained from attending, Lenalee went to most of them. Though she did not know how to play an instrument or sing, she loved good music. And so did Komui and her parents.

"Whoever 'Black Order' is, I want him. This is his first dance video, though. The previous ones have been solo songs. I want you all to listen to all his songs and tell me what you think by next week. And then, we prepare a plan to recruit this guy. I don't care where he lives or what he does. By the end of this year, I want him here as a part of the Crown Corp."

"Mana's all fired up now, what say Lena-lady?" Lavi smirked, biting into his sandwich.


	3. Itsuwari no Kamen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got some surprises for you guys! Read on!
> 
> P.S.: The chapter title itself is a big hint!

"This Black Order guy, he basically remixes the song, doesn't he?"

It was lunch and Lavi and Lenalee were sitting at the edge of one of the long tables. The redheaded architect was digging into a bowl of mac-n-cheese while Lenalee was biting into a meat-bun.

"Not just plain remixing," Lenalee explained, after chewing her mouthful thoroughly and swallowing it. "He adds something of his own—tweaks the lyrics or adds in a piece of instrumental music between two stanzas. In short, he breaks the song down to its basics and rebuilds it his way"

Lavi cocked his head one side, looking puzzled.

"Then what about the copyright infringement issues? After all, at the end of the day, _he_ doesn't own them, the record label does," he pointed out.

"I thought that too. But turns out that Black Order's remixes actually boost _their_ album sales, so it's more of a twisted marketing thing working out. And everyone's happy. I guess I'm seeing why Mana's so interested in him," Lenalee replied thoughtfully.

Suddenly, her eyes caught a figure walking down the cafeteria. A tall man clad in a business suit with long black hair held up in a ponytail.

A really, really familiar figure.

A rage that she did not know existed within her bubbled up her throat, as if glad that years of restraint were being slowly broken.

It had to be _him_.

"Um…Lena-lady?" Lavi said, sounding startled. He followed her line of sight and zeroed on to her subject.

Long hair…tall, lithe figure.

It _couldn't_ be…

"Yuu Kanda," she seethed, grabbing her glass of water tightly, almost cracking it. Lavi hurriedly removed the object from her grip, lest she broke it and got hurt.

He looked at that long-haired man, who was slowly eating his noodle bowl.

So _that's_ him…

"What on _earth_ is _he_ doing here?!"

*/*/

For Kanda, the morning went well. He sat outside the room were the interviews were held, keeping to himself. He listened to conversations the other candidates had with each other, trying to figure out his competition.

_They have mostly worked on residential projects, though._

The Crown Corp. specialised mostly in designing museums, or houses which required a unique style or some degree of flamboyance. So residential project experience wouldn't prove to be that big an advantage, Kanda determined.

 _Stop thinking about the others,_ he told himself sternly. _There's only me, and no one else._

When his name was called out, he walked into the room, trying to make his knees stop wobbling. Arise winked at him and he tried to smile back, though he felt it was more of a grimace.

The room seemed to be a conference room. A long rectangular table enough to seat at least fourteen people was at the centre of the room. At one side sat Neah Walker.

Kanda had seen the man's photo for more times than he could count but still, he was taken aback at how young he seemed to be. His curly black hair was tied into a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck, loose curls framing his lightly tanned face. Wrinkles at the corners of his bright, amber eyes said that he was a man who smiled a lot.

Kanda stood next to the only empty chair in the room, uncertain whether to sit down. He looked at the chair and almost yelped in surprise.

The chair…it had only three legs. And not evenly placed like a tripod. More like a toddler had glued the legs on to a seat and made it stand. He touched it carefully, confirming his worst fears.

Yep, the chair was dangerously wobbly.

He looked around surreptitiously for another chair. And he found none.

_Was this some kind of test?_

Crown Corp was known to be state-of-the-art, and till now, he had witnessed nothing but perfection. So the chair, it couldn't be just a mistake.

So, it was a test.

Now the question remained, how on earth would he sit on it? If he lost his balance, he would never be able to erase this humiliation from his memory. And if he asked for another chair, it would seem as if he was giving up.

No, he will _not_ give up.

"Yuu Kanda, is it?" Neah said, looking up finally from the perusal of the file in front of him. Kanda had a sneaking suspicion that the older man had been watching him all this time. "Why don't you take a seat?"

_I would have loved to, sir. But there's a tiny little problem here…_

The silver bracelet caught light from one of the overhead lamps and glinted back, as if winking.

_Okay, Allen. If you say so._

With a silent prayer to the one upstairs, he sat lightly on the chair, remaining careful to rest the maximum of his weight on his legs.

"Bravo!" Neah clapped, standing up.

Kanda looked at him with bewilderment.

"You're the first person to have sat successfully on the chair since this morning," Neah said happily, resuming his seat. "All the others either asked for another chair or fell down. So tell me, Yuu Kanda, why did you sit?"

_All was not lost…he does have a chance to crack through._

"Crown Corp prides itself on being efficient and state-of-the-art. Thus, placement of a chair such as this in an interview room with no other replacement in sight means that this chair is a test in itself," he replied.

Neah smiled widely, nodding his head.

"Correct, boy. Designing a building is all about maintaining a balance between nature, technology, aesthetics and economy. One who does not understand balance is not fit to be an architect—looks like you pass my first test."

Kanda gave a tiny sigh of relief.

Neah leafed through the documents which he must have received from Arise; she had taken their binders, assuring them that they would receive them after their interview was over.

"Hmm…interesting academic profile, young man. I'm impressed. You won the National Arthouse Design Competition too? But that one involves structural designing as well, right?"

"I did my majors in Civil Engineering, sir," Kanda replied.

Neah leafed to the front, a look of recognition on his face. "Ah! So you have. Good credentials…but it seems you are just out of college. You haven't worked anywhere as of yet…why should I take you in while there are hundred-odd experienced candidates outside?"

Kanda mentally smirked. He _knew_ this was the only flaw one could find in his CV, and he _had_ an answer to that.

Forty-five minutes later, he emerged out of the cabin, mentally exhausted yet pleased with himself. Neah was a conversationalist, and had a manner to make anyone feel at ease. But that did not mean he went easy. He asked him questions ranging from history to latest movies to cats to his favourite food. Neah even asked the reason as to why he wasn't to join his father's cutlery business.

Probing questions, but Kanda had a feeling he gave satisfactory answers. He started searching for Arise, and found her seated next to one of the many potted plants that dotted the corridor.

"Ah kiddo, done?" she asked tiredly. Kanda nodded affirmatively, sitting next to her. She had removed her feet from her shoes and was currently flexing the toes.

"I hate interview days…they make you run about like crazy," she groaned. Kanda made a sympathetic noise, unsure about what to reply.

"You crossed the thirty-minute mark, kiddo. You're as good as selected."

Kanda almost fell off the bench in surprise.

"What?" he squeaked.

Arise nodded. "Neah talks that long only with those in whom he sees potential. You sat on that chair throughout, right?"

"Yeah, but—" Kanda began, only to be interrupted by her.

"Trust me, kiddo. I've known that man for almost a decade now. If you don't trust me, why don't you stick around till evening? With Mana joining the interview post lunch, this entire drama will be over by around eight. The selected candidates will be announced today itself, so see for yourself then."

Arise stood up suddenly, jamming her feet back into her kitten heels.

"Gotta go…work to do. See ya! And best of luck!"

With that, she sped. With the number of people running up and the down the corridors, the fact that she made it to the elevators at top speed without colliding with anyone was nothing short of amazing.

Kanda sighed, leaning back on the bench and looking up. Crown Corp's building was around fifty stories high. Till the first four floors, the shape of the building was that of a "U". Above that, it became sort of an "O". Wacky style, all right. The glass roof refracted a gentler version of the summer sun into the building, bathing it with diffused, comfortable sunlight.

What if Arise was right? What if he _did_ get selected?

The slight hum of people busy with work, the light _tinkle_ of the elevators, occasional wafts of strong coffee…yeah, he could get used to this life.

Couple of hours later, his stomach grumbled, reminding him that he had skipped breakfast due to tension.

He had heard a lot about Crown Corp's café. Time he saw it for himself.

And as he went up to the thirtieth floor, he wasn't disappointed.

The outside walls consisted mostly of large glass windows, providing unhindered view of the New York skyline. The bright sunlight made the image sharper, and it seemed as if he was looking at an image captured in high definition.

 _In London, the view would have been greyish_.

But the sky would have seemed closer. Kanda suddenly missed London. Even though he had spent only three years in that city, it had carved a special place in his heart. Unconsciously, he fingered his bracelet.

_Allen, if you were here, would you have loved it?_

He went to the counter to find a pretty young girl manning the station.

"ID card please. In you're here for an interview, then please present your token," she said in a bland voice. Kanda showed her the token.

"Okay, your order?"

Kanda mentally debated before his mind clamped on his logic.

"You have soba?" he asked.

The girl nodded, wrote his order on a piece of paper and rushed back into the kitchen.

"Wait up for ten minutes," she said, waving him to stand aside to let the others order.

After collecting his food, he looked around, found an empty bench and made a beeline for it. He was about to eat his first bite when felt the table shake slightly as a fist punched into it.

"Yuu Kanda," the voice seethed with restrained anger. "What the _hell_ you think you're doing here?"

*/*/

Lavi followed Lenalee to the one he deduced to be Yuu Kanda, a worried look coming over his usually cheerful face. He knew that the woman was not someone who believed in getting into violent altercations but right now, the uncharacteristic anger on her face was making him doubtful.

Kanda looked up in surprise, which morphed quickly into uncertainty mixed with guilt when he realised who exactly was standing next to him.

Lavi decided to get in closer—someone with a comparatively calmer mind had to stay close to act as the fire extinguisher.

"Lenalee Lee," he said softly, pushing aside his noodle bowl.

Lenalee punched the table again, attracting a fair bit of attention. "You haven't answered my question," she hissed.

"I came for an interview," Kanda replied slowly. Lavi realised that he was not interested in some epic showdown as Lenalee was currently hinting at.

"Wow…some person you are. You kill off someone and now live a life like some freaking bed of roses…I should have expected it, though. What else are you rich snotbags good for?" she spat, trying to infuse the murderous hatred she felt towards him in her words.

Kanda looked down on the table, refusing to meet her eyes.

Till now, Lavi had looked at Kanda through Lenalee's eyes but now, he realised that the viewpoint had been a bit, well, biased.

"Um…Lenalee?" he interjected, making Kanda look up in surprise. He was sure that the long-haired man did not realise that there was a third person in the event.

"Yes, Lavi?" she said in a deceptively calm voice. Lavi gulped but forced himself to continue.

"Um…I know it's not my place to say anything…but, don't you think you're being a bit hard on him? I mean, I understand that you two don't have that good a history with each other but…I dunno…let the sleeping dogs lie? You can't change the past, but why taint the future? This Allen guy, what I understand about him…he won't like it, Lenalee."

Lavi exhaled loudly, preparing himself for an outburst from the woman.

But he sure did not expect sniffles.

"Lenalee?" he squeaked.

Lenalee wiped her cheek, her anger now disintegrating into a pout.

"I can't help it, Lavi," she said softly. "Allen…gods, I miss him so much! It's been seven years now, I know…but _still_! And he…"

She pointed accusingly at Kanda.

"Lena-lady," Lavi said soothingly, lowering her hand. "I think Kanda understands that…that guilt is written clear on his face. You two…you've been trapped too long in the past. Come on, shake hands and be friends. Come on!"

Lenalee stared at the redhead as if he grown another head while Kanda held a similar look of disbelief.

Lavi groaned at the two before pulling both their hands and making them shake.

"Good. You two…invited for dinner at my pad tomorrow. Could've invited you today but I've a date with my Lena-lady….now the time's being a bitch and Miranda might be a dear but she wouldn't hesitate drowning us in the Mariana Trench if we don't leave now. Toodles!"

Lavi said that at top speed and before either could respond, he grabbed Lenalee and exited the cafeteria in record time, leaving Kanda mouth soundlessly like a goldfish.

*/*/

Some fifty miles away from New York, amidst the countryside and a posse of rather territorial cats stood a rather nondescript two-storied farmhouse. The sloped wooden roofs, the pale white-washed walls along with the tended garden was a generic picture that one could associate with a lazy farm life.

Even the fact that a young man was currently lounging in the front-yard, his face covered with a book as the wind played gently with his silvery blond hair, fitted perfectly in the picture. He was clad in a loose white shirt and brown workpants and his pale hands were slightly reddening due to the prolonged exposure to the sun.

One of the cats, a fat, rotund ginger with a squashed yet adorable face, jumped onto his lap and pawed his arm, meowing insistently.

"Tim, get off my lap…you're too warm and too heavy," the man groaned, shifting into a more comfortable position on the lounge chair.

The cat, Tim, meowed again.

A creaking of the door was heard and a man emerged from the house. He looked Asian and seemed to be in his early thirties. His hair looked as if it was bleached but if one examined it well, then it would understood that blond was its original colour. He was clad in brown shirt and jeans and currently had a frown on his face.

"What are you doing outside? You do realise the summer sun's not good for you?" he said, sounding partly worried, partly indignant. The person to whom the words were addressed to only shrugged, making the blond man march up to him indignantly.

He removed the book from his face, making the silver-haired man squint at the sudden sunlight. The red scar on his face seemed to shine brightly like a beacon.

"Allen Walker, do you really want to die of something as stupid as a heat-stroke?" the man sighed, hitting Allen lightly on his head with the spine of the book. Allen sighed, sitting up as much as he could without disturbing Tim who had promptly fallen asleep on his lap.

"I know, Bak," he said.

Bak patted him sympathetically on his back. "I know you don't like it, but you know how ICDs work, right?"

Allen patted a spot on his chest just above his heart. Though invisible to the naked eye, he knew that a tiny device was sitting just underneath his finger, ensuring that his heart keeps on beating the way it is supposed to beat. Medically termed as the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, or ICD for short, that tiny metal thing monitored his heart and if it began to beat at a range higher than normal, it sent shocks to control it.

Allen knew it sounded more melodramatic than the actual fact but that did not stop Bak from worrying.

Bak Chan was a doctor, and seven years ago on that fateful day, he was on duty when Allen was brought into the hospital. Allen had died that night.

But due to his senior's quick thinking, Allen had been taken into surgery and after a fourteen-hour-long operation, an ICD was planted in his chest. Thankfully, the bullet had missed the heart by millimetres but the resulting shock almost stopped its beating. Bak went through his file and was faintly surprised that there wasn't anyone listed to be his guardian or next of kin. The kid was eighteen, though. So technically, he did not require one.

Bak was about to call up his school when a rasping voice came from Allen's bed.

"Don't…" he had wheezed.

If Bak was astonished at the fact, he did not show.

Later, when Allen was well enough to sit up on his own, he told the Bak the complete story.

"That's why…I don't want them to know…I want to leave it behind. I want to move forward," Allen said softly.

Bak nodded understandingly.

Three months later, Allen was discharged from the hospital. Since he was hospitalised as a casualty, he wasn't charged to which he was grateful but now, another problem made himself known.

What was he supposed to do now?

"Come with me, I'm leaving for New York next week," Bak said. Allen raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry…you're not being a freeloader nor am I crushing on you. You said you liked music, right? A friend of mine teaches music in New York…when I told her about you, she sounded interested. What say?"

Allen couldn't believe his ears. A slow, delighted smile spread across his face.

"Seriously?" he breathed. Bak nodded, smiling at the obvious delight on the boy's face.

"Of course. And if you managed to impress her, she might consider you for the merit scholarship program. Then, you might not have to work part-time."

Allen nodded, looking up at the rare sunny English sky. He would miss London, but perhaps a new country would prove to be better for him.

*/*/

Three years after arriving in New York, Bak got married to his childhood sweetheart Xiu Ai, a beautiful Chinese woman who was pursuing her masters in Genetics at New York University. Allen loved Xiu Ai like a sister and she in turn left no stone unturned in spoiling Allen. Bak often remarked how the three of them were like one perfect family, and that remark alone made Allen happy.

After years of trying to fit in, he found people who loved for who and what he was. And for that, he would be eternally grateful.

The person who taught him the piano at Laurenze Music Academy was a short, fierce woman named Fou La, one of Bak's family friends. She was even shorter than Allen but her mouth was enough to send even tall giants go hiding into corners. She was a self-proclaimed slave-driver but she knew her job. And when praises were due, she never shied away from doing it. Allen couldn't get the full scholarship as his music was not very polished, but he could manage by working part time in the NYU library as an assistant librarian. The librarian was an old man named Vladimir Buchmann, though everyone called him by his last name. Allen often wondered how the old man managed to work but he had to admit, his age was no indication to his energy levels.

Xiu Ai told him to wear a wig when he went to work. Bak had not agreed to the same but she reminded him the reason—Allen wished to remain unnoticed and even though _they_ didn't mind, people on the streets would gawk.

And it wasn't something that foundation, a wig and a glove couldn't resolve.

Besides, Allen thought he had seen Lenalee one day. Even though a part of him wanted to meet her, the other part didn't.

_She left me alone. She could do it again._

So he agreed to Xiu Ai's idea.

It never failed to amuse him how people passed by him without a second glance. After almost a decade of being a subject to obtrusive glances, this was a welcome change.

One day after his classes were over at Laurenze, Fou dragged him to the store room without any explanation. Allen knew better than to ask—he didn't want himself to be treated to another of Fou's martial arts moves. What she ended up showing him was something that was going to change his life for ever.

"What is this?" he asked softly, running his fingers over the keys of the synthesizer.

It was a large one, almost as large as a piano. Wires connected it to the computer which was currently running a music mix program. A microphone sat ready on a stand next to the seat.

"I've been teaching you for four years now, Walker," she said, crossing her hands over her chest while her eyes seemed to drill inside him. "And I know where your strengths lie. Time you found it out."

Fourteen hours later, Black Order was born.

*/*/

Xiu Ai had already laid out lunch, their delicious aroma making Allen's mouth water.

"At this rate, I'm going to become as fat as Noddy's Wobbly Man," Allen grinned, sitting down and inhaling deeply. Xiu Ai laughed softly, patting her swollen belly. She was already five months pregnant now, and the last visit to doctor determined that it was a girl. Bak unhesitatingly named Allen as her godfather, making the latter blush and sputter incoherently.

"Take it slowly, Ai," Bak admonished gently, planting a kiss on his wife's forehead before settling down between her and Allen. The table was round, its legs beautifully carved with natural motifs. It had been a wedding gift from Xiu Ai's parents.

"I agree, Ai," Allen nodded, piling the vegetables on his plate. "Your health is the most important thing. Don't even think of risking it."

"Alright, alright, you overprotective minions," she laughed, ruffling Allen's hair with her left hand. "If my brother says that, I've to obey him!"

"What about me?" Bak mock-groaned.

"Husbands are there to _listen_ to me," she grinned. Allen could help but laugh out loud at Bak's flabbergasted face.

"Now now Bak, no more talking. Food's getting cold," Allen said, still chortling.

_I hope this lasts forever._

*/*/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the idea of Kanda's interview from Ed's exam in Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) series. Those who have watched it know what I am talking about. 
> 
> This story is kind of growing in me now and I have three possible plotlines at the moment. Lets see which one plays out! And yeah, for those who might not know, Nightcore's a sort of style of remixing which involves converting soulful songs with happy hardcore beats. Do listen to the Nightcore version of Illuminated by Hurts. That was actually the song that inspired the fic. I could actually imagine Allen dancing to it.
> 
> The next chapter might be delayed as I have an exam in two days, though I will try my best to update as soon as possible. Cheers!
> 
> Review...please? :)


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